Gus Malzahn: 'I want to be the head coach at Auburn'

ATLANTA (AP) — Gus Malzahn continued to face questions about his future after Auburn’s bid to make the playoffs skidded to a halt.

Malzahn led the fourth-ranked Tigers (10-3, No. 2 CFP) on a late-season tear into the Southeastern Conference championship game Saturday, before they lost 28-7 to No. 6 Georgia .

The uncertainty about Malzahn’s plans is as much, if not more, of a concern to Tigers fans as the drubbing they took in the title rematch.

Malzahn hasn’t explicitly addressed reports in recent weeks that he is the top target to fill the coaching vacancy at Arkansas, his home state.

“I’m happy at Auburn,” Malzahn said. “We have great players. I love my players. As I said before this game, we worked extremely hard to get here to this point, and we’ve got a very good foundation built, and I think the best is yet to come.”

Then he was asked if that meant the Razorbacks shouldn’t bother pursuing him as Bret Bielema’s replacement, he repeated his conviction — but still didn’t completely close the door.

“I’m the head coach at Auburn, and I just said I want to be the head coach at Auburn,” said Malzahn, a former Arkansas offensive coordinator. He also expressed optimism about the state of a program that is slated to return most of its key players, saying he “wouldn’t be surprised if we’re back in this moment next year.”

Malzahn spent some time on the proverbial hot seat following a midseason loss to LSU and after two 8-5 records and a 7-6 season. But the Tigers won five straight games to make it to Atlanta, including wins over two teams that topped the playoff rankings at the time, Georgia (12-1, No. 6 CFP) and Alabama. Then the talk became that he might leave of his own accord.

Malzahn received a one-year extension but no raise after last season. He earns $4.725 million annually in a deal that runs through 2020.

Auburn players mostly denied hearing the Arkansas talk and said Malzahn hadn’t addressed it with the team. %href_on(file:

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn watches his team warm up for the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Georgia on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, in Atlanta, Ga. (C.B. Schmelter/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP)

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, right, speaks with Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn after the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, in Atlanta. Georgia won 28-7. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn walks the turf during the first half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2017, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)